JPH08335183A - Distributed information provision system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention relates to a distributed information providing system in which a client makes an inquiry to a plurality of servers that provide distributed information, finds a server having necessary information, and receives the information. The purpose is to be able to update the information provided by the server from the client side without being aware that the servers are distributed. [Structure] A client is an information acquisition means for requesting information from a server by designating a reference or update instruction, information position, information attribute, etc., means for storing information received from the server, and received information And an information updating means for updating, and means for transmitting the information of the update result to the server together with the position and the update instruction. The server has means for identifying the instruction from the client and transmitting the information on the position specified in accordance with the information reference instruction, and update result storage means for storing the update result sent together with the update instruction in a file. Configure to prepare.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is a distributed system in which a plurality of distributed servers that provide information and clients that receive information make inquiries to the server to find a server that provides necessary information and receive the information. Type information provision system.

In recent years, client / server type information processing systems have been provided. Information is stored in each of the multiple servers in the network, and when each client asks the server for the location of the required information, the server detects the server where the requested information is located. The client can obtain the necessary information from the notified server.

When the server that provides information differs depending on the hierarchical structure of the information when acquiring the necessary information, the information is requested to the corresponding servers in order by the information acquisition procedure, and the necessary information becomes aware of the server. You can follow it without any trouble. However, the information distributed in a plurality of servers cannot be updated on the client side, and therefore improvement is desired.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 20 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional distributed information providing system. In FIG. 20, LAN1 to LAN
3 is a local area network (LAN), L
W between AN1 and LAN2 and between LAN2 and LAN3
It is connected by AN (wide area network). Servers A to C are LAN1 to LAN3, respectively.
It is connected to and manages information in a distributed manner. In this example, a client of LAN1 accesses information of each server.

As shown in FIG. 20, the client first receiving the information provides an information inquiry by designating a predetermined initial server, initial information position, and initial information attribute. The initial server (denoted as server A in FIG. 20) sends data indicating the location of information (link information) to the client, and the client accordingly makes an inquiry to another server B as indicated by. By repeating this operation, a server C having information required by the client is finally found, and the information is provided from the server C as shown in. Further, the information can include links to other information, and the information can be traced one after another by repeating the inquiry to the server.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram of information held by the server in the system as shown in FIG. Information is managed in a hierarchical structure. Information that includes items and links to other information corresponding to the items (this is referred to as structural information) and any information such as text, image, and voice (this is There is a single information). What is structural information?
For example, it represents information such that a certain word in the text is used as an item and a link to the description information (text) of the word is set for the word (item). The link includes the server name holding the information, the information position, and the information attribute (structure information or single information).

FIG. 21A shows an example of the information structure, 9
0 indicates structure information composed of a plurality of higher-order items and link information, words representing items are arranged in items 1 to 3, and link information (server name) is set in each of items 1 to 3. S, position information P, information attribute A)
Is set. When item 3 is selected, information 91 stored at the position indicated by the link information of item 3 is obtained. This information 91 stores the structure information including the words of each item of items 3.1 to 3.3 belonging to the subordinate of the item 3 of 90 and each link destination.

When item 3.3 of this information 91 is selected, there may be lower-level structure information, but in this example, the link destination of item 3.3 is, for example, text information (one of the single information items). ) 92 is arranged, but it may be image information or audio information.

When each piece of information shown in FIG. 21A is distributed by a plurality of servers in the system configuration shown in FIG. 20, as shown in FIG.
The information 91 is a specific position of the server B, the information 92 is a specific position of the server C, etc.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a conventional example. (1) and (2) are operations on the client side, (3)
Is the operation flow on the server side. At the client side, as shown in (1), the initial server name (represented by S ₀ ,
In the example of FIG. 20, the server A is designated), the initial information position (represented by P ₀ , the designated position in the server A in the example of FIG. 20), and the initial information attribute (represented by A ₀ , for example, structural information is designated). After setting (S1), the information acquisition procedure is called (S2). In this case, the nest (represented by the depth of the recursive call is represented by n) is set to 0 together with S ₀ , P ₀ and A ₀ . In addition, in the example of (a) of FIG.
= 0, the information 91 is n = 1, and the information 92 is n = 2.

In the information acquisition procedure of (2), the parameters S _n , P _n , A _n , and n are set (S3 in FIG. 22), and the position information P _n is transmitted to the server S _n (S4 of the same). . In this case, initially, the initial information position is transmitted to the server indicated by the initial server name (S ₀ ). This transmission is shown in FIG.
, And the transmission from the server is indicated by.

The server sends P (position information) from the client.
22 is received (S20 in FIG. 22), the corresponding information is taken out from the database held by the server and transmitted to the client (S21). When this is received by the client (at step S5), the information attribute (A _n ) of the received information is determined (at step S6). The initial information attributes are generally structural information,
The client sets the structure information received from the server in the buffer prepared according to n (nesting) (same S
7). If the attribute is not the initial information attribute, it may be single information, and in that case, the content of the received information (text, image, etc.) is displayed (at step S8).

When there is an item to be referred to further from the displayed information, the client user displays the contents of the structure information buffer n (at step S9) and designates a command (represented by C) (at step S10). In this case, the command is either an instruction to "reference" the selected item or an instruction to "go back". Then command (C)
Is identified (at step S11), the process returns to the first process in the case of the "return to previous" instruction, but in the case of "reference", the structure information buffer is used to refer to the selected item (lower detailed information). Link from n to item (server, position, attribute)
Is extracted and set to S _{n + 1} , P _{n + 1,} A _{n + 1} (S1
2). Next set S _{n + 1} , P _{n + 1,} A _{n + 1} and n + 1
Information is acquired by (nesting) (at step S13), and thereafter, the process returns to step S9 and the same processing is repeated.

In this way, the client examines the link corresponding to the item, obtains the server, the information position, and the information attribute, and recursively calls the information acquisition procedure. By repeating this, the client becomes aware of the distributed server. Information can be traced one after another without.

[0015]

In the conventional distributed information providing system, information can be acquired by the client without being aware of the server. However, there are cases where the client wants to update (change) the acquired information. , There is no means for the client to update the acquired information to update the contents of the original server, and the contents of the server are immediately updated when the information is updated by the client in order to have a distributed server configuration. Updating was not an easy task.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a distributed information providing system capable of updating the information provided by the server from the client side without being aware that the servers are distributed.

[0017]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the first principle of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the second principle of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the third principle of the present invention. Is a fourth principle configuration diagram of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a fifth principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a client connected to a LAN, 10 is an instruction setting means, 11 is an information acquisition means,
Reference numeral 12 is a received information storage means, 13 is an instruction identification means, 14 is an information update means, 14a is a link destination information reference / update means,
Reference numeral 15 is an update instruction / result information transmitting means, 1a is a display unit, 1
b is an input unit. Further, 2 is one server that provides distributed information, 20 is an instruction identifying means for identifying an instruction sent from the client 1, 21 is request information transmitting means, 2
2 is update result receiving means, 23 is update result storing means, 24
Is a file, and 3 is a LAN (or WAN). Although only one server 2 is shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of servers (not shown) that actually provide distributed information are provided in each LAN.
Or it is located in WAN.

FIG. 2 mainly shows a structure added to the structure shown in FIG. 1, and the other structures are omitted because they are the same as those in FIG. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 16 in the client 1 is a contention control inquiry means, 25 is an inquiry control unit in the server 2, 25a is an update flag identifying means, 25b is an update flag setting means, and 24a in the file 24 is each position information. It is an update flag provided in P _n .

Further, FIG. 3 mainly shows the configuration added to the configuration of FIG. 2, and the other configurations are similar to those of FIG. 2 (including FIG. 1) and are not shown. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 17 in the client 1 is a contention cancellation transmission means.

Further, FIG. 4 mainly shows the configuration added to the configuration of FIG. 3 above, and the other configurations are similar to those of FIG. 3 (including FIG. 1 and FIG. 2), and therefore are not shown. There is. In FIG. 4, 18 in the client 1 is an inquiry means by an ID for identifying the user, and 26 in the server 2 is an ID.
It is an inquiry control means.

Further, FIG. 5 mainly shows the configuration added to the configuration of FIG. 4, and other configurations are omitted in the drawing. In FIG. 5, 19 in the client 1 is an access right management inquiry means 19, and 27 in the server 2 is an access right management inquiry control means.

According to the first principle of the present invention, in the client, the update and reference instructions are set, the server is requested to obtain information, and when the relevant information is sent from the server, the information is displayed. Then, referring to and updating the information and related information, the update result information is sent to the server together with the update instruction, and the server receives the update in response to the update instruction from the client. Store the resulting information at the specified location in the file.

Further, according to the second principle of the present invention, when an update instruction is issued from the client side, an inquiry for contention control is transmitted to the server side, and the server side updates the same information from other clients. Is determined (whether there is a conflict), the determination result is notified to the client, and the server determines whether or not to execute the update operation based on the determination result.

Further, according to the third principle of the present invention, it is possible to determine whether or not an abandonment of update is instructed during the execution of the update, and depending on the result, it is possible to switch the update processing to stop or continue. is there. In addition, in the fourth principle configuration of the present invention, the ID is used to identify the current user, and the client inquires of the server as to whether or not it is qualified to refer to or update information, and the inquiry result is good. Only in case, it is possible to refer or update. Further, in the fifth principle configuration, when the current user in the client 1 makes an access management inquiry by ID, the server checks to see if the user with that ID has access management authority by referring to the management authority file in the directory. And notify the client,
If it is manageable, the contents of the access right file are sent to enable updating.

[0026]

In FIG. 1, when a reference or update instruction is set by the instruction setting means 10 of the client 1, the instruction is set in the information acquisition means 11, and other previously obtained position and attribute information (single information , Structural information), and is sent to a server 2 designated in advance through a LAN network. The designated server 2 identifies the instruction by the instruction identifying means 20, extracts the information requested by the request information transmitting means 21 from the file 24, and transmits it to the client 1. When the client 1 receives this,
It is stored in the reception information storage means 12 and displayed on the display unit 1a. In this state, the instruction identifying means 13 identifies the instruction and drives the information updating means 14 when updating. Information updating means 1
4 updates the information by the input from the input unit 1b. In this update, if it is necessary to refer to or update the related information by the link information, the link destination information referring / updating means 14a refers or updates. When the update is completed, the update instruction / result information transmitting means 15 is driven, and the result information with the update instruction is transmitted together with the original server and position information. When the server 2 receives this and identifies the instruction and finds that it is an update, the update result storage means 23 stores the received update information in a designated position of the file 24, and the update is executed.

In the case of FIG. 2, in the client 1 of FIG. 1 described above, after the information from the server 2 is stored in the reception information storage means and displayed on the display unit 1a, the instruction identification means 13 identifies the update instruction. When this is identified, the competition control inquiry means 16 is activated to send a competition inquiry including the position to the server of the information to be updated. When the relevant server 2 receives this inquiry, the inquiry control unit 25 operates and the update flag identifying means 25a
Whether the update flag 24a is on or off is identified with respect to the information of the corresponding position in the file 24, the identification result is notified from the inquiry control unit 25 to the client 1, and when it is off, the update flag setting means 25b operates. To turn it on. When the client 1 receives this notification, the information updating means 14 updates the flag if the flag is off, and stops updating the information if the flag is on.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration in which the client 1 makes an update conflict inquiry in the configuration of FIG. 2 above, and when the update flag is off, the update is being performed and the update is to be abandoned during the update. . When the instruction to abandon updating is input, the conflict cancellation transmitting means 17 operates to notify the relevant server 2 of the conflict cancellation. In the server 2, when this is received by the inquiry control unit 25, the update flag 24a (similar to FIG. 2 and not shown in FIG. 3) of the corresponding information is set to OFF.

In FIG. 4, when the information is referred to and updated, the client 1 uses the ID (identification information) inquiring means 18 for the server 2 by using the ID of the current user.
Contact us. When the server 2 receives this,
The ID inquiry control means 26 checks the access right file 240 provided in each information directory to determine whether or not the user having the ID has the access right to reference or update the information. The determination result is notified to the client 1, and if there is an access right according to the content of the notification, the access operation is further performed, and if it is determined that there is no access right, the access operation ends.

Next, in the case of FIG. 5, when it is desired to know whether or not the current user of the client has the authority to manage the access right file 240, the access right management inquiry means 19 is used by the server 2 by using the ID of the client. Contact us. The access right management inquiry control means 27 of the server 2 which received this has the ID having the management right for each information registered in the management right file 241, so that the ID of the user included in the inquiry is the management right file 24.
It is determined whether it is registered in 1. The determination result is notified to the client 1, and if it is registered, it is regarded as having the management right, and the contents of the access right file 240 (see FIG. 4) are transmitted from the server 2 to the client 1, and the contents are Can be updated by the client. If it is not registered, the access right file 240 cannot be updated because it has no management right.

[0031]

FIG. 6 is an example of a hardware configuration of a system in which the present invention is implemented. 6 is a client, 3
Reference numeral 7 represents a LAN (or WAN), and 40 represents a server.

The client 30 includes an input unit 31 such as a keyboard and a mouse, a display unit 32 such as a display, a command designating unit 33, a processing unit 34, an information buffer 35 and an LA.
The communication unit 36 accesses the server via N and controls communication. The communication unit 36 is a LAN or WAN
It is connected to the server which constitutes each other distributed information providing system via. The server 40 includes a communication unit 41 and a processing unit 4
2 and an information storage unit 43 for providing information to each client in a distributed manner among a plurality of servers. It should be noted that one or a plurality of servers 40 can be provided for each LAN, and each LAN can be connected to each other by a LAN, a bridge, a brouter, or other LAN connecting device.

Each processing flow of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Each of these embodiments can be realized in the client device and the server device shown in the configuration example shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a process flow of the client of the first embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a process flow of the server of the first embodiment and a process flow of updating information by the user. The processing corresponding to the first principle configuration of FIG. 1 of the first embodiment is performed. Further, in FIGS. 7 and 8, the processing surrounded by the dotted line is different from the conventional one.

In the processing flow of the client shown in FIG. 7, although not shown in the figure, an inquiry is made to the initial server in the same manner as in (1) of FIG. Each parameter S _n (server name), P _n (positional information), A _n (information attribute: single information,
If structural information) and n (depth of nest) are obtained,
A command (represented by C) for instructing update or reference according to the present invention is added to each of these parameters to start information acquisition processing (S1 in FIG. 7). In this case, first, the server S _n is requested to perform “reference”, and the position information P _n is transmitted (at step S2).

The transmission from this client is indicated by, is received in the processing flow of the server shown in (1) of FIG. 8 (S1 in FIG. 8), and OP (command: C) is "reference". Is identified (S2 of the same), this server S
The contents of _n in the file P (position information P _n) is taken out, are transmitted as shown in the client (the S
3).

In FIG. 7, when information is received from the server (S3 in FIG. 7), C here (see S1 in FIG. 7 above).
Is identified and C is an item reference, the conventional example (S in FIG.
The same processing as 6 to S13) is executed in S14 to S21. If C is identified as an "item update",
New processing (S5 to S13) according to the present invention is started. In this case, A _n (information attribute) is identified (at step S5),
For a single information, sets the received information in the information buffer (same S6), the contents of the information buffer user updates (at S7), instructs the "Update" to the server S _n, position information P _n And the contents of the information buffer storing updated information are transmitted as indicated by (S8, S8).
9).

In the case of structure information, the received information is set in the structure information buffer n (n corresponds to nest) (at step S10),
The user updates the content (at step S11). Details of the updating process of the structure information buffer n are shown in (2) of FIG.
The contents will be described later. After the update by the user, the server S _n is instructed to “update”, the position information P _n is transmitted, and the contents of the information buffer storing the updated information are transmitted as indicated by (S12, S13). .

In the processing of the server of (1) of FIG. 8, when the transmission information indicated by the client is received, in S2,
When determining the OP found to be "updated" to receive the next contents of the client (S4 in FIG. 8), reception result original position (updated information) The server S _n information P _n It is stored in the position indicated by (displayed in unit P in (1) of FIG. 8) (S5 of FIG. 8). In this way, the update result is saved in the file storage location of the original server.

To update the structure information buffer shown in (2) of FIG. 8, the contents of the structure information buffer n are displayed on the display unit 32 such as the display of FIG. 6 (S110), and the command (C) is displayed.
Is designated by the user (at step S111), and then the content is identified (at step S112). This command is an "edit command"
Then, the contents of the structure information buffer n are changed according to the editing command (at step S113), the process returns to stage S110 to display the contents, and the operation of specifying the command is repeated. When the command refers to an item or updates an item, the server, position, and attribute that are the link information corresponding to the item are extracted from the structure information buffer n. These pieces of information belong to the nest n + 1, and those pieces of information are set (see the same S1
14), information is acquired (S115 of FIG. 8). The process of S115 of FIG. 8 corresponds to the process of S1 of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a process flow of the client of the second embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a process flow of the server of the second embodiment. It should be noted that the second embodiment performs a process corresponding to the second principle configuration of FIG. Further, in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the processing surrounded by the dotted line is different from the above-described first embodiment, and the different points from the above-described first embodiment will be mainly described below.

In the processing flow of the client shown in FIG.
Then, the same processing as S1 to S4 of the first embodiment of FIG. 7 is performed.
Yes. In step S4, C (command) updates the item
From client to server S_nAgainst "competition
Command of "total control" and position information P _nSend as shown in
(S40 of FIG. 9). This command is issued by the server S_nFa
Position P in the file_nOther clients for information about
Requests the server to determine if these updates are in conflict.
Of.

In the processing flow of the server shown in FIG. 10, the OP (command) of the information sent from the client is decoded (S2 in FIG. 10), and if it is found that "competition control" has occurred, then P in the file The content of the update flag provided for the information (representing the position information P _n ) is identified (S7 in FIG. 10). If the update flag is off (no conflict), update OK (approval) is sent to the client (same S
8) Set the update flag to ON and return. If the update flag is on, the fact that the update is being performed by another device is transmitted to the client (at step S10).

When the client receives the reply from the server according to FIG. 10, the server S _{n in} S41 of FIG.
The result is received and the result is discriminated (S42 in FIG. 9).
If the result is being updated by another device, "Updating another"
Is displayed on the output unit (at step S43), and if the update is OK, the process proceeds to step S5, and thereafter the same as in the first embodiment (FIG. 7). However, the information is updated in the client, and the server S _n is updated in steps S8 and S12 of FIG.
When "update" is instructed to and the update result is transmitted, the server determines OP in step S2 of FIG.
When it is detected as "update", the contents are received from the client (S4 in FIG. 10), the reception result including the updated contents is stored in P (position information P _n ) (S5 in the same figure), and finally P The update flag of (position information) is turned off (same S
6). As a result, when the update is completed, the conflict with the update request from another client is released.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are processing flows (No. 1) and (No. 2) of the client of the third embodiment, and FIG. 13 is a processing flow of the server of the third embodiment. It should be noted that the third embodiment performs processing corresponding to the third principle configuration of the present invention shown in FIG. Further, in FIGS. 11 to 13, the processing surrounded by the dotted line is the processing added by this third embodiment, which is different from the second embodiment, and will be described below focusing on the parts different from the second embodiment.

In the process flow of the client shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the same processes as S1 to S4 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7 are performed. In step S4, when C (command) is item update, the same processes S40 to S43 as those in the second embodiment of FIG. 9 are executed, and when update OK is received,
The information attribute (A _n ) is identified (S5 in FIG. 11), and in the case of structure information, the received information is set in the structure information buffer n (S
10), after the user updates the contents of the structure information buffer n (at step S11), the process moves to FIG. 12 as indicated by D in the circle, and it is determined whether or not the update is to be abandoned (S at FIG. 12).
22). This is to determine whether or not the client has stopped the update during the update, and when an instruction to abandon the input is input, “conflict cancellation” and position information P _n are transmitted to the server S _n (S23 in FIG. 12). ). If no abandonment is done,
The same processing as that of the second embodiment (FIG. 9) is performed.

In the process shown in FIG. 13, the server sends S _n and P _n transmitted in step S12 of FIG.
When the command of “conflict cancellation” including “is released” is set, the update flag of the corresponding position (P) is set to OFF (S1 in FIG.
1), return. In this way, when the update is abandoned midway, the update flag for performing the conflict control is turned off to enable the update by another client.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show the process flow of the client (part 1) and (part 2) of the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 16 shows the process flow of the server of the fourth embodiment. It should be noted that the fourth embodiment performs a process corresponding to the fourth principle configuration of the present invention shown in FIG. Further, in FIGS. 11 to 13, the processing surrounded by the dotted line is the processing added by the fourth embodiment different from the third embodiment.

The part newly added according to the fourth embodiment will be mainly described below. In FIG. 14, the client sets its own host name (client device name) + user name as an ID (identification information) that recursively refers to and updates the user of the client (S200 in FIG. 14).
Next, "reference" is specified as an instruction to the server S _n , and the ID,
P _n is transmitted (at step S201). After this transmission, when the result is received from the server S _n (at step S202), the result is judged (at step S203). This result can refer to the information of the designated position information P _{n in} the server S _n (reference O
K) or impossibility (NG) is included. If the result is reference NG, impossibility of reference is displayed and the process returns (step S20).
4).

In the case of reference OK, information is received from the server S _n (S3 in FIG. 14), it is determined whether C (command) is reference or update, and in the case of item reference, the above third embodiment is used.
The same processing as (S14 to S19 in FIG. 11) is performed, and in the case of item updating, the processing shifts to the processing in FIG. 15 and a request for “contention control” for updating is made (S40 in FIG. 15). At this time, the ID (identification information) is also transmitted, and when the result is sent from the server S _n (S41), the result is discriminated (S42). If the result is update NG (update not possible), "update not possible" is displayed (at step S44). The processes of the other clients are the same as those in the third embodiment (FIGS. 11 and 12).

In the process of the server of FIG. 16, when the information including the ID transmitted in S201 of FIG. 14 is received (S1 of FIG. 16), the OP in that is identified (the same S).
2). In this case, since it is "reference", the process proceeds to S30, and it is determined whether the access right file in the directory of the file position P (= P _n ) of the server S _{n has} the reference right to the ID. If the result of this determination is that there is no reference right, a reference NG is sent to the client (S3 in FIG. 16).
1) If the user has the reference right, the reference OK is transmitted to the client (at step S32), and the content of the position P to be referred to is transmitted to the client (at step S33).

The information transmitted from the server in the processing of S31 and S32 of FIG. 16 is received in S202 of FIG. If it is identified in S2 of FIG. 16 that the OP is “competition control” for updating, S70 is executed.
In, the access right file in the directory at the file position P (= P _n ) of the server S _n is determined by the update right for the ID (whether the user having the input ID is given the right to update the information). . As a result of this determination, if there is no update right, the update NG is transmitted to the client (S71 in FIG. 16), and if there is an update right, the same as in the second and third embodiments (S7 in FIG. 10, FIG. 10). 13 S
The same update flag as in 7) is determined (S in FIG. 16).
7), and thereafter, similar processing (S8 to S10) is performed. The result information such as update NG or update OK transmitted from the server is received in S41 of FIG.

As described above, in the fourth embodiment, when the IDs of the reference right and the update right are input, if the ID is registered in the server, the reference right and the update right are considered, and the client performs the reference and update processing. It becomes possible to do.

FIGS. 17 and 18 are processing flows (No. 1) and (No. 2) of the client of the fifth embodiment, and FIG. 19 is a processing flow of the server of the fifth embodiment. The fifth embodiment performs processing corresponding to the fifth principle configuration of the present invention shown in FIG. In addition, in FIGS. 17 to 19, the processing surrounded by the dotted line is the processing added by this fifth embodiment different from the fourth embodiment.

The part newly added according to the fifth embodiment will be mainly described below. In FIG. 17, the user of the client sets his own host name (client device name) + user name as the ID (identification information) (S2 in FIG. 17).
00), when access management is designated as C (command), C (command) is identified (at step S200 ′),
Since it is "management", "access management" is applied to the server
(In the figure, simply displayed as "management") command, ID, and _Pn are transmitted (at step S205).

The processing of the server which receives this is shown in FIG. 19, and the server identifies the OP (command) (S in FIG. 19).
2), if it is found to be "management", step S12
At, the reference is made to the management right file in the same directory as the information indicated by the position P, and it is checked whether the ID is registered as an ID capable of managing the access right.
As a result of this determination, if the user is not registered in the management right file, it is determined that the user does not have the management right, and a management NG is transmitted to the client (S15 in FIG. 19). The management OK is transmitted to the client as having the right (at step S13), and the content of the access right file in the directory at the position P is transmitted to the client (at step S14).

The result information transmitted from the server in S13 and S14 of FIG. 19 is received in S206 of FIG. 17, and the reception result is determined (S207 of the same). When the reception result is management NG, "management not possible" is displayed, management of the access right is made impossible (step S208), and the process returns. If the reception result is management OK, it is transmitted from the subsequently received server (S14 in FIG. 19). Upon receiving the contents of the access right file (S3 in FIG. 17), the client can update the access right file in the same manner as the normal information.

[0058]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. In a distributed information providing system, information held by a plurality of servers in a distributed manner can be collectively updated from the client side without being aware of the servers.

When collectively updating information held by a plurality of servers from the client side, contention control can be performed so that other clients cannot update it. When collectively updating information held by multiple servers from the client side, contention control can be canceled immediately by abandoning the update.

It is possible to regulate that the information held by the server is referred to and updated by each user on the client side on a server directory basis. A specific client-side user can manage reference and update restrictions for each server directory.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a first principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a second principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a third principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a fourth principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a fifth principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration example of a system in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of a client according to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of a server and a processing flow of information update by a user according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates a processing flow of a client according to the second exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a processing flow of a server according to the second exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow (No. 1) of the client according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a processing flow (No. 2) of the client according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates a processing flow of a server according to the third exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow (No. 1) of the client according to the fourth exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow (No. 2) of the client according to the fourth exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 16 illustrates a processing flow of a server according to the fourth exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow (No. 1) of the client according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow (No. 2) of the client according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a server of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional distributed information providing system.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram of information held by the server.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 client 1a display section 1b input section 10 instruction setting means 11 information acquisition means 12 received information storage means 13 instruction identification means 14 information update means 14a link destination information reference / update means 15 update instruction / result information transmission means 2 server 20 instruction identification Means 21 Request information transmitting means 22 Update result receiving means 23 Update result storing means 24 File 3 LAN (or WAN)

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. In a distributed information providing system in which a client makes an inquiry to a plurality of distributed information providing servers, finds a server having necessary information, and receives the information, the client refers to or updates the information. Information acquisition means for requesting information from the server by specifying instructions, information position, information attributes, etc., means for storing information received from the server, information updating means for updating the received information, update result And a means for transmitting the information of the above to the server together with the position and the update instruction,
A means for identifying an instruction from the client, a means for transmitting information on a position designated according to an information reference instruction, and an update result storage means for storing an update result sent together with the update instruction in a file. A distributed information providing system comprising: 2. The client according to claim 1, wherein the client, when updating the received information, has means for referencing / updating recursively linked information when the information has a link to other information. A distributed information providing system. 3. The client according to claim 1, wherein the client inquires of a corresponding server whether or not the information to be updated is being updated by another client, and when the client is notified that there is no conflict, the update is performed. The server is provided with a possible conflict control inquiry means, and the server is provided with an update flag for identifying whether or not each piece of information to be managed is being updated. A distributed information providing system comprising: a means for responding, and a means for setting an update flag for the information at the start of updating without competing and setting the update flag at the end of updating. 4. The update flag according to claim 3, wherein the client includes means for transmitting information instructing abandonment of update to the server, and the server receiving the information instructing abandonment of update A distributed information providing system, characterized in that it comprises means for lowering. 5. The client according to claim 4, wherein the client is provided with an inquiring unit based on an ID of the current user and an ID of the server including information to be referred to or updated, and the server indicates each ID in a directory managed by the server. An access right file including information indicating whether the user can reference or update the information in the directory and the access file in response to the inquiry from the client are used to determine whether the reference or update is possible, A distributed information providing system, comprising: a control unit that responds to a client. 6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the client specifies whether or not to perform access right management,
A management right file which holds a query to the server as to whether or not the access right of this user can be managed together with the ID of the current user, and the server holds in the management directory whether or not the user indicated by the ID can manage the access right A distributed information providing system comprising: a client, referring to the management right file in response to the inquiry from the client, and responding to the client whether or not management is possible.